Meet Captain Jack

Only the second Powell River-born Kings Captain in the team’s 31-year history, Jack Long’s impressive career so far proves that great things can come from small hockey programs.

Photo by Sean Percy

BY ISABELLE SOUTHCOTT

At the September 6 home opener at the Hap Parker Arena, when the crowd heard that Powell River’s own Jack Long had been named Captain of the Kings, the stands went wild.

Jack’s parents, Bruce and Linzie Long, were at the game to witness this historic moment. It’s only the second time that a hometown boy has had this honour and responsibility bestowed upon him in the team’s 31-year history (the other being Mark McKamey, and that was back in 2009).

Jack worked hard to improve. When he was seven, he enrolled in the Power Skate Program. His teacher was Nicole Rumley.

Since the announcement, Jack has received countless texts of congratulations, while others have stopped him on the street to congratulate him in person. Jack couldn’t be happier. Like hundreds of other Powell River kids, the 20-yearold’s hockey career began early. He was only four when he first enrolled in Powell River Minor Hockey’s initiation league, known as ‘Pups’ in those days.

HOMETOWN HERO: From his earliest days as a minor hockey “Pup” to playing in the BC Cup in 2014, Jack Long dreamed of playing for his hometown team in the BC Hockey League.

“Even then he stood out from the crowd,” said Nicole. “Jack was committed to developing his own basic skating skills and went on further than his peers in the program. At 14, I asked him if he would be willing to help and assist with the CanSkate program and he didn’t hesitate to jump in and help. He has led the way in bridging the gap between hockey and the skating club. Over the years he has inspired many young minor hockey players to develop their basic skating skills with us.”

Defence

178 GP • 7 Goals • 25 Assists • 32 Points • 175 Penalty Minutes DOB: September 20, 1999 187 pounds • 5’10 • Right handed 178 BCJHL games played (all with the Kings) 55 away from achieving most all-time games played (233). Currently ranked 14th in all-time games played Six games away from passing local Mark McKamey for all time games played.

Jack was nine when he first began travelling to attend out of town games. His weekends were filled with hockey but at the same time his leadership skills were growing along with his confidence – something his dad helped him develop.

“When I was young, if I asked my dad to do something he’d ask me to do it first,” says Jack. “He taught me to be independent, to try to do things myself before asking for help. When I accomplished things, it helped me become more confident.”

Jack continued playing hockey, as his father and uncle had before him (see "In the Family" below). He was told he was one of the better players on the team, but he didn’t know how good he was or how much potential he had until he was in his second year of Bantam Rep and he tried out for the BC under-16 team.

“I made the first cuts,” he said. “So I was in the top 160 in BC.”

Out of the 20 kids picked from this region, Jack was one of only two kids who came from Tier 2 (smaller-sized) organizations.

Attending that camp made Jack realize he actually had a chance to play hockey at a higher level. Jack didn’t make the second round of cuts–but that didn’t matter to him because he realized then that he could hold his own with the better players. At those camps, Jack was scouted to play Major Midget for the North Island Silvertips. He spent his Grade 10 year living in Nanaimo and billeted with a great family. That summer, he came home and was all set to play for the Victoria Cougars the following season when he attended a Kings camp. “I was hoping to be an affiliate player and get into it slowly, but I made the team,” he said with a grin. He was 15 at the time.

“I was pretty happy,” said Jack. “It’s been my dream my whole life to play for the Kings.”

His mom was also happy – it meant her son would stay at home a little longer. Jack’s next big moment arrived sooner than he thought. He scored his first BCHL goal in a 7-0 drubbing of the Alberni Valley Bulldogs — on his 16th birthday! Over the past five years, not only has his hockey improved, so have his leadership skills. He continues to coach power skating alongside Nicole.

“I liked seeing the improvement in the kids,” said Jack. “And I like giving back to people who have helped me along the way. It makes me feel good.”

Kings General Manager and Head Coach Tyler Kuntz said he’s impressed with Jack as a person and a player. “On the first day of camp it become obvious that Jack made the decision to take ownership of both his path in hockey and the Powell River Kings. He is a tremendous person with a strong work ethic. He is very competitive and most importantly, he is loved and respected by his teammates, coaching staff and his community. Jack will be an outstanding captain for our hockey club and a great ambassador for the BCHL and the Powell River Community.”

Jack likes the organization’s Read with the Kings program. “The younger kids look up to the Kings players,” he says. “We read to them and then we go out and play road hockey with them. It puts smiles on their faces and that makes me feel really good.”

When asked what’s next for Jack, he says he’s hoping to play for a Division One School in the States or a university in Canada but that he’s waiting to be offered a scholarship. He’s not sure what he’d like to study, maybe business or geography: “a career that keeps me outdoors and moving because I don’t want to be sitting at a desk.” Powell River Kings 2019-2020

IT’S IN THE FAMILY

Jack’s love for the sport is in his blood. His dad Bruce played as a young man but gave it up after he finished high school. His hockey-playing uncle, Bob Crawford, who was recently inducted into the Powell River Sports Hall of Fame, was someone Jack looked up to. “I never got to see him play but I heard lots of stories,” said Jack. Bob grew up playing hockey. He moved to Powell River in 1960 to play for the Powell River Regals. It’s been said that his leadership qualities were evident early on and Bob took over as player/coach, guiding the team to the provincial championship in his first year and a Canadian championship in his second. Bob also coached minor hockey and some of those he coached went on to international hockey and NHL careers.

Powell River Kings 2019-2020

FORWARDS #8 Matthew Byrne • Penticton, BC #9 Dawson McKay • Houghton, Michigan #11 Nolan Krogfoss • Cloverdale, BC #13 Jacon Paler-Chow • Vancouver, BC #14 Christian Buono • Burnaby, BC #16 Hunter McCoy • Newburyport, MA #17 Reilly Morgan • Milton, Massachusetts #18 Michael Abgrall • Richmond, BC #21 Rowan Miller • Scottsdale, Arizona # 23 Levi Glasman • Lacombe, Alberta #24 Nic Porchetta • Powell River, BC #28 Ethan Schmunk • Powell River, BC #43 Jack Brackett • Manassas, Virginia

DEFENCEMEN #2 Ben Wozney • Richmond, BC #3 PJ Garrett • Duxbury, Massachusetts #4 Dylan Finlay • L’ile-Bizard, Quebec #6 Ian Kern • Vancouver, BC #7 Cody Stockton • Duncan, BC #22 Jack Long • Powell River, BC #27 Dylan Hewlitt • Port Moody, BC #44 Davis Pennington • Saline, Michigan

GOALIES #1 Alex Rolfe • Langley, BC #33 Matteo Paler-Chow • Vancouver, BC

COACHES Tyler Kuntz • Head Coach Kyle Bodie • Assistant Coach Brock Sawyer • Assistant Coach

TEAM STAFF Sean Maguire • Goaltending Coach Braedon Behan • Athletic trainer & equipment manager Terry Dyer & Jamie Parsons • Athletic Trainers Nadine Porchetta • Director of Business Operations